Carbon Fund

Human activities have introduced historic levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, speeding destructive changes such as global warming. At the same time, tropical forests — the world's largest carbon storehouses — are being decimated. Tropical deforestation is responsible for roughly 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than all the world's cars, trucks, planes and ships combined. Conserving forests is one of the least expensive and most immediate ways to reduce emissions. It can provide close to one half of the world’s needed emissions reductions through 2020.

Conservation International's Carbon Fund is an innovative new program that seeks to halt or slow the destruction of tropical forests by providing the necessary incentives needed to stop deforestation and improve land use. By creating value for standing forests through the use of the carbon markets, the Fund seeks to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and provide tangible benefits to those who live in or near the forests.

About CI's Carbon Fund

Download the Carbon Fund fact sheet (PDF - 594 KB).

Conservation International's Carbon Fund, launched in 2009, supports the design and start-up costs of early-stage forest restoration and conservation projects, and aids in the commercialization of carbon credits through private sector partnerships. The Fund also offers companies a way to include forest carbon credits as part of their voluntary climate change commitments.

CI's regional programs and project development partners have been investing in conservation and supporting forest-dependent communities in more than 40 countries for decades. In recent years, CI has developed the largest portfolio of forest carbon projects — having raised more than $15 million to build local partner capabilities and develop more than 20 new carbon projects in 12 countries. In addition, CI is a leader in developing new scientific methodologies to measure climate mitigation potential of innovative projects, and co-founded the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance to increase carbon project quality and project designs that deliver environment and community benefits as well.

The Carbon Fund not only draws on successful projects within CI programs, but also actively seeks out projects developed by local communities, indigenous peoples, nonprofit and for-profit partners. Limiting support to those projects that are located in and around key biodiversity areas, and that adhere to the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards, the Carbon Fund portfolio delivers robust emission reductions, supports local communities and protects rare and threatened species.